10 Interesting Facts About Frida Kahlo
Do you want to learn interesting facts about Frida Kahlo?
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon aka Frida Kahlo is a Mexican painter known for her self-portraits and works about her disabilities as well as the artifacts of Mexico.
Her paintings have extraordinary stories that inspire audiences. Frida Kahlo, who depicts her own life in her paintings, is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of all time.
RELATED READ: 8 Most Famous Mexican Painters You Should Know
If you want to discover more about her personal life and as a painter, here are some of the interesting information about Frida Kahlo.
Things you'll find in this article
- 10 Interesting Facts About Frida Kahlo
- 1. Frida lied about her birthday
- 2. Frida wasn’t fully Mexican
- 3. Frida had polio when she was six
- 4. Kahlo paintings feature her injuries and disabilities
- 5. Frida had a chaotic marriage with her famous Mexican Painter husband, Diego Rivera
- 6. Kahlo is a political activist
- 7. Kahlo’s work became popular few years after her death.
- 8. Frida is now a feminist and LGBTQIA+ icon
- 9. Frida Kahlo’s face is on a Mexican money
- 10. Kahlo’s life and works were made into two successful movies
10 Interesting Facts About Frida Kahlo
1. Frida lied about her birthday
Frida Kahlo was born in Coyoacan, Mexico City, on July 6, 1907.
However, Frida’s birthday is controversial because she always told people that she was born three years after her actual birth which is 1910. But Frida is doing it not to make herself appear younger, she is doing it out of a strong sense of patriotism.
She wanted to associate her birth with the Mexican Revolution that happened in 1910 and lasted for a decade.
2. Frida wasn’t fully Mexican
Kahlo’s arts are also about her Mexican culture and heritage, but one trivia about Frida Kahlo is that she wasn’t fully Mexican. Her father, Carl Wilhelm Kahlo was born in Germany with Jewish and Hungarian roots.
On the other hand, her Mexican blood was from her mother, Matilde Calderon, who is an indigenous Mexican with a Spanish background.
3. Frida had polio when she was six
When Frida was a child, polio epidemics were widespread. At the age of six, she suffered from polio, which ultimately shortened and thinned her right leg.
As a young girl, she became embarrassed about her situation and decided to wear long colorful skirts to hide her disability.
Due to her illness, she has to take several months off school. But after returning, she wasn’t able to get away from bullying.
Frida’s father never gave up on her, and in fact, he ended up being a big part of the process of building her strength back up and getting her involved in a wide range of activities like sports.
4. Kahlo paintings feature her injuries and disabilities
An interesting information about Frida Kahlo is that she is the queen of self-portraits. Her disability didn’t stop her from making inspirational art. She painted 55 portraits of herself highlighting her injuries and disabilities.
She found refuge in art as a means to overcome her past traumas. To give a voice to her anguish, she turned herself into an object of study. “Without Hope,” describing the period she had lost her appetite, and “The Broken Column,” depicting her broken spine after an accident, are two of her most well-known works.
Frida’s art became an inspiration to many of her audiences. Her art became a way for people to appreciate their flaws and understand other people’s suffering.
5. Frida had a chaotic marriage with her famous Mexican Painter husband, Diego Rivera
Another trivia about Frida Kahlo is her marriage wasn’t as ideal as you may think. She was married to a famous Mexican painter, Diego Rivera.
Even before getting married, the 20-year-old Kahlo admires Rivera’s work. Years later, Frida Kahlo was able to meet Diego Rivera and eventually fell for each other.
Although previously married to Emmar Hurtado, Diego divorced her in 1929 so he could marry Frida.Despite the 20-year age difference, Frida and Diego chose to marry each other.
People sometimes referred to them as “The Elephant and the Dove,” with Diego representing the elephant and Frida representing the dove, due to their size difference.
The couple’s 10-year marriage was marked by infidelity on both ends. One of the most intriguing affairs Diego had, was with Frida’s younger sister, Cristina. On the other hand, Frida also had so many affairs both with men and women.
Regardless of both parties’ affairs, they remained married to each other until Frida died in 1954.
6. Kahlo is a political activist
Being a politically-engaged woman is one of the fun facts about Frida Kahlo. She started joining the Mexican Communist Party in 1928. Her participation in various political groups stems from a desire to empower Mexican women and give them a stronger voice.
Furthermore, she also made paintings that convey her political messages. Kahlo was often dressed in men’s clothing as a protest against gender norms.In 1932, Frida used her self-portrait to advertise her anti-American stance on the Border Between Mexico and the United States.
7. Kahlo’s work became popular few years after her death.
Frida Kahlo died on July 13, 1954, a few days after her birthday (July 6). Although her paintings were well received during her lifetime, she was often written off as “the wife of Diego Rivera” and thus received little recognition for her achievements. But in the days leading up to her passing, she wrote in her diary about having a ‘joyful exit’.
Several years later, her art began to get critical attention. People became more inspired by the message of each of her works. In 2016 her famous piece ‘Two Nudes in a Forest’ was sold for $8 million.
In addition, the term “Fridamania” is used to describe the widespread adoration and fascination with the artist Frida Kahlo that emerged in the 1970s as a result of the widespread exposure to her works.
The acknowledgment of Frida’s life and works continued and inspired many books and movies over the years.
8. Frida is now a feminist and LGBTQIA+ icon
The rise of feminism during the 1970s is one of the reasons why Frida’s works became widely praised. Many social issues, like gender roles and body positivity, are addressed in her paintings by simply revealing her authentic self and depicting her experiences as a woman.
Frida Kahlo’s outspokenness about her sexuality made her a symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community. Kahlo was open about her bisexuality, despite the sexism of the early 20th century. She was open about her attraction to both genders and her history of romantic partnerships with women
9. Frida Kahlo’s face is on a Mexican money
There are still a lot of fun facts about Frida Kahlo, and one of those is being the face of the new 500 Mexican peso bill. Together with her husband, Diego Rivera, the two most treasured artists of Mexico appear on the 500-peso bill.
The 500 Mexican peso bill was released to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.
The money contains Rivera’s quote, “It has been said that the revolution does not need art, but that art needs the revolution. That is not true. The revolution needs revolutionary art”.
10. Kahlo’s life and works were made into two successful movies
Frida Kahlo’s life and art were featured in numerous articles, books, and even movies. In 1983, Paul Leduc’s film ‘Frida, Naturaleza viva’ was a huge success. During the 58th Academy Awards, the movie was selected as the Mexican entry for Best Foreign Language.
Another film was released 19 years later, entitled “Frida”, starring Salma Hayek. The movie focuses on the circumstances of her life, including the accident she was in, the relationships she had, and the problems in her marriage. Even her heavy drinking and drug use were also featured in the film.
‘Frida’ was also a big hit with a gross of over $ US 50 million. The movie garnered 17 wins and 47 nominations. During the Academy Awards in 2003, it won Best Music and Best Makeup. Salma Hayek also became a nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
